Electric flea trap

Abstract

Apparatus and method for an electric flea trap employing an emitted light as an attractant and a sticky substance as a trap, wherein the sticky substance is between the insect and the emitted light.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A trap for catching insects, comprising: (a) an elongated, translucent, open-ended tubular member having a sticky coating on the outer surface thereof;   (b) a protective screen sleeve made of mesh for permitting ingress of some insects but to exclude appendages of children and pets, disposed concentrically about said tubular member;   (c) two end-pieces, each end-piece having an infacing surface removably engaging said tubular member and said screen sleeve, one of said end-pieces having an electrical connection means connectible to a source of electricity; and   (d) a light source means connected to said source of electricity by said electrical connection means and held by at least one end-piece, said light source axially disposed within said tubular member between said two end-pieces.   
     
     
       2. A trap in accordance with claim 1, wherein said sticky coating is on a separate, removable, semi-rigid, transparent substrate circumscribing said tubular member and disposed between said light source and said protective screen sleeve, said sticky coating facing out toward said screen sleeve. 
     
     
       3. A trap in accordance with claim 1, wherein said substrate is a cylindrical sleeve disposed so as to stand between the protective screen and the light source. 
     
     
       4. A trap in accordance with claim 1, wherein said substrate is a triangular sleeve disposed so as to stand between the protective screen and the light source. 
     
     
       5. A trap in accordance with claim 1, wherein said substrate is planar sheets disposed so as to stand between the protective screen and the light source. 
     
     
       6. A trap for catching insects, comprising: (a) a cylindrical screen housing comprised of; i) an cylindrical, open-ended, removable protective screen wall;   ii) a fluorescent light source centrally disposed within said housing and connected to an external electric power source;   iii) two removable, rigid, transparent, L-shaped plastic panels disposed between said light source and said screen wall;   iv) two removable, semi-rigid blue transparent plastic substrate sheets having adhesive backing and a sticky substance coating on a surface facing outward toward said protective screen wall, said substrate disposed between said light source and said protective screen wall; and   v) two end-pieces, each end-piece containing an infacing surface to engage said screen wall, plastic panels and said fluorescent light source; and     (b) a base having four legs.   
     
     
       7. A trap in accordance with claim 6, wherein said housing comprises a wall of any geometric shape. 
     
     
       8. A trap in accordance with claim 6, wherein said fluorescent light source is disposed upon a flat platform running between said end-pieces. 
     
     
       9. A trap in accordance with claim 6, wherein said L-shaped plastic panels disposed between said light source and said screen wall are slidable in and out of said housing in channels running between said end-pieces. 
     
     
       10. A method for trapping insects, comprising: (a) providing a centrally located attractant comprising a radiating light; and   (b) providing a translucent trap comprising a sticky substance circumscribing said radiating light and positioned directly in line between said light and said insects, wherein said attractant light radiates 360° from its source and is visible to said insects irrespective of the spatial viewing position of said insects.     
     
     
       11. A trap for catching insects, comprising: (a) an elongate light source means for radiating light in a circle;   (b) a translucent tubular member surrounding the elongate light source and having a sticky coating on the outer surface thereof;   (c) a protective cylindrical screen sleeve, surrounding the tubular member, for permitting ingress of insects attracted by the light source means to the tubular member for capture on the sticky coating thereof.